The letter we have all dreamed of writing - offering the Ofsted inspector a little feedback on their lesson observation and feedback techniques (or lack of). It saddens me greatly that Ofsted, used correctly, should be a force for good. Teachers have broad shoulders, they are used to inspirational, motivational people watching their lessons and proffering advice and any good teacher welcomes that – so why do we now have a situation where Ofsted offers nothing constructive? The mind boggles. I can only hope someone at Ofsted read this and took note.

After 31 years in education, this Secret Teacher had lost the enthusiasm of the 1980s due the ever changing government initiatives. They write: "Gove's apparent predilection for making up initiatives over his breakfast kippers has only built on some of the scattergun policies and practice of the last years of the last government." So many of the Secret Teacher submissions echo the same sentiment – how can we keep track when the goalposts are forever changing? A very honest piece.

Oh the joy of the acronym – we seem as a nation to be obsessed with the damned things and never more so than in education. I remember when I started my GTP training, and was sitting in what must have been one of my first staff meetings, wondering what strange parallel universe I had stepped into. This is a delightful piece which did give me a giggle – "imagine William Shakespeare at the King's New School in Stratford being asked to RAG (red, amber, green) the sonnet he'd written as a home learning option" – while deftly making a serious point.

Not a particularly happy choice this but I am sure one many teachers can relate to. I read many Secret Teacher submissions, many make me totally militant and angry for my profession but this one just made me cry. There is no plaster cast, no bandage or wheelchair for someone suffering with depression and people generally feel totally unable to speak out about it, so thank you to a very brave Secret Teacher who did.

This is a great Secret Teacher blog and one of our most popular since we started the series but that's not my motivation for choosing it. I like it because it simply works – it tells it like it is without complication and drama. It is written from the heart and I think its popularity goes to show that we have all been there and written that letter at some point in our careers.

We have run a couple of blogs about behaviour standards and when these kinds of blogs land in my inbox I am always shocked by the tales they have to tell and the amazing ability senior leaders develop some ostrich syndrome ("I'll just put my head in the sand and pretend it's not happening") which results in a lack of support for the teachers dealing day in, day out, with the problems in their classes.

This piece horrifies me. I feel so sorry for this teacher and from the number of supportive comments the piece so did many of our readers. Plus I really feel for the other children in the class – if this child terrifies a grown adult what pressure does he exert on the rest of the year? Not one of my happier choices but I do feel the problem of teachers being bullied by their pupils is the elephant in the room and one that doesn't receive enough attention.

My mouth was on the floor when I read this piece for the first time. I love this rant by a very fed-up English teacher who just wants to teach their subject but is watching as a scheme of work gets an overhaul and sees Alan Bennett getting replaced with an episode of Waterloo Road. She says: "How can the work of one of our most talented playwrights possibly be replaced by the study of a slightly more grown-up, but not as believable version of Grange Hill?" Couldn't agree more! Sharp, incisive and great fun to read but with a very serious point to make.

We can't be outstanding every day, so why judge us on that?This Secret Teacher suffers the same pressures that so many of you experience – more priorities making it harder to get round to doing the thing you love to do – teach. Teaching is a job like no other – there are no hiding places when 30 people are depending on you – you can't just slink into work with a hangover and spend the day dribbling behind your computer and waiting for the time to tick away to 5.30pm. It is demanding and exhausting and exhilarating but as this teacher says hugely frustrating when you are expected to be outstanding 24/7. More priorities means all the passion and enthusiasm gets squeezed out. No pupil wants to listen to an automaton.

I can't resist finishing with a bit of Oz – it is the festive season after all! But seriously this senior leader spills the beans on how senior leaders are drowning in paperwork and not doing what they should – inspire and strive to make a difference. But now there's too much emphasis on targets, league tables and yes more and more priorities. This Secret Teacher included a quote from Walt Disney which is now etched in my brain – apparently at the height of Disney's fame, as theme parks were being talked of and movies going global, founder Walt made the statement: "I only hope that we never lose sight of one thing – that it was all started by a mouse." It's worth remembering.

We're always on the look-out for more Secret Teachers – if you have something to get off your chest then email us with a brief outline of what you would like to write about.